Bowling pin handling mechanism



Feb. 24, 1959 J. zuERcHER N BOWLING PIN HANDLING NEcHANIsM originalFiled April 5, v1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JOHN zuERcHER BY M N0 wwwNR ATTORN Y` Feb. 24, 1959 J. zUERcHER BOWLING PIN HANDLING MEcHANIsMOriginal Filed'Aprl 5; 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN ZUERCHER Mft?ATTORN mwN QQ NQ, NN NN NNN o QS n@ bw www WS, I ww\\\ o N @E Ll United`States Patent I( Mice BOWLING PIN HANDLING MECHANISM John Zuercher,Mansfield, Ohio, asslgnor to American `lIVIachine & Foundry Company, acorporation of New ersey 3'Claims. (Cl. 198-119) The invention relatesto bowling pin spotting machines, and more particularly to improvementsin mechanism for delivering bowling pins rapidly and in succession tothe pin spotting device of a bowling pin spotting machine.

'I'his invention constitutes a division ofA my copending application,Serial Number 280,697, led April 5, 1952, now Patent No. 2,769,637, forDistributor Mechanism for Bowling Pin Spotting Machines.

The invention consists in improved means and mechanism for receiving andorienting bowling pins such that they may be delivered properly to a pindistributor which directs and conveys them to the pin holding units of apin spotter for placement in playing arrangement on a bowling alley.

The invention also consists in improved bowling pin orienting mechanismand coacting pin distributing means wherein pins delivered to the`orienting mechanism are oriented for butt end forwarding movement ontothe conveyor of the distributor means and wherein the construction andarrangement of the operating parts substantially completely eliminateany danger of jams in the delivery of pins from the orienting mechanismto the Ipin distributor means.

The invention also consists in improved pin receiving and orientingmechanism at the rear end of the distributor so constructed and arrangedthat the head ends of pins delivered thereinto by the conveyor whichremoves them from the -pit of a bowling alley cannotv get between thepin receiving element and the distributor chute along which pins arebeing conveyed by an endless conveyor and cause jams and breakage ofparts.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, theinvention consists in certain combinations, and constructions which willbe fully described hereinafter, and then set forth in the claimshereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speciication,and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or likeparts:

Fig. l is a side elevation of an improved pin distributor mechanism forbowling pin spotting machines embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

The improved pin distributor D, shown in the accompanying drawings,consists of a pair of U-shaped pin guide chutes and 12 (Figs. l and 2)slidably arranged in a telescopic fashion to provide a guide chute whichis automatically extended or retracted depending upon which of thetriangularly arranged pockets or pin receptacles (not shown) of the pinsetter table is receiving a pin from distributor D.

Chute 10 at its pin receiving end is provided with a ared andfunnel-shaped pin receiving end or extention 14 rigidly joined thereto,as by welding, and with chute 12 forms one continuous chute or pinguideway.

At its pin receiving end, chute 10 is secured to apairV '2,874,823Patented Feb. 24, 1959 of spaced brackets 16 attached beneath pan 164,referred to hereafter, to ends of a pair of spaced rods 17 yof asuitable frame 18. This arrangement makes it impossible for a pin to jambetween pan 164 and to end of extension 14 when table T moves up anddown. Secured to the other ends of rods 17 of frame 18 is a bridgebracket 20, to the upper end of which is mounted the extreme forward endof chute 10.

Chute 12 is secured to and carried by spaced horizontal rods 21 of asuitable frame 22 which on one end is provided with a pair of spacedvertical lugs 24 to each of which is pivoted a roller 26. Each roller 26rolls on the top edge of the respective rod of frame 18 which is locatedexactly in line beneath frame 22 so that the latter at this end issupported by and slidingly engages with frame 18. To maintain frames 18and 22 iii vertical alignment and to prevent any side sway as thedistributor is moved laterallyl and chute 12 is extended and retractedrelative to chute 10, each vertical lug 24 of frame 22 carries a roller28 which contacts the outer or lateral edge of each respective rod offrame 18.

The extreme forward ends of the rods 21 of frame 22, as viewed at theright in Figs. 1 and 2, are secured to a pair of spaced bearing lugs 30(Fig. 2) loosely mounted on a horizontal shaft 32. Each bearing lug 30is pivotally supported in a suitable bearing hub, lone of which isprovided on each of the two spaced uprights 36 of a U-shaped distributorhead bracket 38. The latter at its dower central position is supportedby the hub of a barrel member 40. This member is provided with a bevelsurface 42, which rests on the upper rounded edge of the distributortrack 44 mounted on the pin spotter table (not shown).

Bracket 38 and barrel member 40 are connected by means of a sleeve shaft46 keyed to bracket 38. Barrel member 40 is free to rotate about sleeveshaft 46. A collar 48 attached to sleeve shaft 46 in any suitable mannerprevents vertical movement of barrel member 40 on sleeve shaft 46.Pivotally attached to the outer periphery of barrel member 40 is aswivel member 50 which by means of stud 52, carries an angularlypositioned trust and guide roller 54 which, together with the bevelsurface 42 of barrel member 40, supports and lguides the entire frontend of pin distributor D on track 44. The other end of distributor D ormore particularly pin receiving end 14 of the guide chute 10 is, asmentioned heretofore, supported by the pair of spaced brackets 16pivotally held by a horizontal shaft 56 (Fig. l) rotatably supported bya pair of spaced upright arms 58 of a U-shaped bracket 60 which at itsvlower end is provi-ded with a vertical stud 62 rotatably supported in asuitable vertical bearing 64 of a bearing bracket 66 secured to theframe (not shown) of the pin setting machine.

Bridge -bracket 20 to which the front end of the rim guide chute 10 isattached is also provided with two pairs of rollers 68 and 76 (Fig. l).Rollers 70 roll upon the outer lateral surfaces of rods 21 of frame 22and assist in retaining its vertical alignment with frame 18. Rollers 68roll upon the upper surfaces of rods 21 of frame 22 and thus provide aroller support from which is suspended bracket 20 to which one end offrame 18 is attached.

Pin distributor D is also provided with an endless pin conveyor, such asbelt 72, which is driven continuously by pulley 74. Conveyor belt 72 isled over the bottom of the substantially U-shaped channel formed byguide chutes 10 and 12, and end extension 14 onto a pulley 76 mounted onhorizontal shaft 32 supported in the bearing lugs 30 and distributorhead bracket 38. From pulley 76, conveyor belt 72 is led over tensionroller 78 and a guide roller mounted on shaft 82 supported by bridgebracket 20. Tension roller 78 is loosely mounted on a shaft 84 (Fig. 1)supported in the free ends of a pair of spaced links 86 pivotallyconnected at their other ends by means of horizontal shaft or rod 87 toa pair of spaced arms 88 formed on and extending upwardly from a rod orshaft 90 supported at each end in suitable bearing lugs integral withvertical lugs 24. Attached to each vertical lug 24 is a tension spring92, the other end of which is secured to Vone end of lioating shafts 84.This arrangement provides constant resilient tension to pin conveyorbelt 72.

Pin conveyor belt 72 operates to convey pins P from a source of supply,such as a conveyor (not shown) which removes them from the pit of abowling alley (not shown), to pin spotting receptacles (not shown)carried by the spotter table. It also provides driving `means for movingthe front or delivery end of the pin distributor along the heart-shapedtrack 44, during which time distributor D is elongated or shortened inorder to accommodate it to the several positions of the spottingreceptacles. Since conveyor belt 72 is driven continuously, the latterthrough pulley 76, imparts continuous rotary motion to shaft 32.

Adjustably clamped to one end of shaft 32 is a collar 96 to which isanchored one end of a tension spring 93. The other end of spring 98 isattached to clutch disc 100 which loosely engages with a spiral externalthread of a hub or sleeve (not shown) secured to shaft 32. Anotherclutch disc 104 is attached to and is integral with the hub of a bevelgear 106 loosely mounted on shaft 32.

The rotary motion of the shaft 32 through clamp 96 and torsion spring98, is imparted to clutch discs and 104 which rotate bevel gear 106. Thetension of spring 98 is set to a desired amount sufficient to effect aiirm engagement of clutch discs 100 and 104 with a conventional clutchlining disc 108 located between them. Bevel gear 106 meshes with bevelgear 110 mounted on the upper end of vertical shaft 112 rotatablysupported in a suitable bearing lug projecting from distributor headbracket 38.

A gear 116, secured to the lower end of shaft 112, meshes with a gear118 keyed to the upper end of the barrel member 40. The lower end ofbarrel member 46 carries a rounded tooth gear 120, preferably formedintegrally therewith, which engages with corresponding teeth 122 formedin the lateral outer edge of the heartshaped track 44 must be moved toand stopped at each pin Track 44 is supported at three points by meansof suitable brackets 124 mounted on the pin spotting table. Teeth 122conform generally with the profile of a sprocket and coact with theteeth of gear to give a smooth drive which is highly desirable ininsuring the most satisfactory results in the operation of distributorD.

Since it is the purpose of distributor D to deliver pins to each of theten triangulariy arranged pin spotting receptacles, the front end ofdistributor D following heartshaped track 44 must be moved to and stopat each pin spotting receptacle in succession until each pin spottingreceptacle contains a pin. In order to effect the desired successiveinterruptions in the movement of the distributor D at each of the tenreceptacles, track 44 is provided with ten properly located and spacedstop lugs 126, welded or otherwise suitably attached to track 44.

As shown in Figure l, stop lugs 126 are fixed to the under side of track44 and project outwardly into the path of a stop pin 128 carried by andprojecting vertically downwardly from the center of sleeve shaft 46 ondistributor head bracket 38. The upper end of stop pin 128, which isslidably mounted in stationary sleeve shaft 46, is formed with anannular groove (not shown) into which loosely projects the forked end ofan arm pivotally secured to and projecting from the bottom member of aU-shaped lever 134. Side members of lever 134 are pivotally supported bya horizontal rod 136 held at each end in a pair of suitable lugs whichare integral with and project from distributor head bracket 38.

The pin receiving end 14 of distributor D is pivotally, as well asswivelly connected, to a stationary bracket, while the front end issupported on the spotter table, which is adapted to move to and from thebed of an alley (not shown) for spotting pins thereon. In order to keepthe front end of distributtor D and its mechanism always parallel withthe spotter table, regardless of its vertical position, a suitableparallelogram device C is provided. One end of parallelogram device C ispivotally attached to a suitable bar 160, projecting from and attachedto bracket 60; its other end is pivotally connected to rod 136 and astud 162 mounted in distributor head bracket 38.

A pin receiving and orienting pan 164 located at thc receiving end ofdistributor D, insures that pins delivered from the elevating conveyor(not shown) will be delivered properly and that the head ends of pinscannot jam between extension 14 and chute 10. Pan 164 is mounted on abracket fixed to a pair of extension lugs 168, projecting upwardly fromupright members 58 of U-shaped bracket 60. Since the latter can onlyswing in a horizontal plane, pin receiving pan 164 also remains inhorizontal position.

During the pin delivery operation of the associated elevating conveyor(not shown), bowling pins are delivered `to the pin receiving andorienting pan 164 either with `butt ends or head ends foremost. It isessential, however, that all pins delivered to the pinsp'otting units(not shown) of table T be deposited onto conveyor `belt 72 butt endiirst. Pins delivered to pan 164 in butt end foremost position will beguided by extensions 14 Ibutt end first `onto pin conveyor belt 72. .Thehandles of pins delivered to pan 164 in head end foremost position willengage a pin guide member 163 and pivot thereabout orienting these pinsfor movement butt end first onto conveyor 72. Thus all pins will bepositioned on conveyor 72 'butt end foremost no matter how they weredelivered to pan 164.

Pins delivered to pan 164 by the associated elevating conveyor (notshown) are oriented by pin guide member 163 for movement butt end firstonto conveyor 172. This orienting function is accomplished substantiallyas that described in R. L. Holloway et al. Patent 2,767,983 for BowlingPin Elevating mechanism, and in J. Zuercher Patent 2,767,984 for PinDistributing and Spotting Mechanism for Bowling Pin Spotting Machines.Therefore, since ythis function forms no part of the present invention,further disclosure thereof is omitted.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within thescope of the claims, for the particular embodiments selected toillustrate the invention are but a few of the possible concrete formswhich my invention may assume. The invention, therefore, is not to berestricted to the precise details of the structures shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. Pin distributing mechanism for a bowling pin spotting machinecomprising, a swivel support bracket, a pin receiving pan mounted onsaid bracket for movement in substantially a horizontal plane, a firstchute member pivotally attached to said bracket beneath lsaid pan forvertical swinging movement relative to said pan and for movement in asubstantially horizontal plane conjointly with said pan, said firstchute member being formed at its end adjacent said pan with portionsextending upwardly along and adjacent the sides of said pan, a secondchute member operatively connected with ,said rst chute for conjointmovement therewith, means for mounting said second chute forlongitudinal movement relative to said first chute, endless belt meanslocated in said first and second chutes, means for driving said beltmeans to travel pins delivered thereonto from said pan to a point ofdischarge from said second chute.

2. Pin distributing mechanism for a bowling pin spotting machinecomprising a swivel supporting bracket, a pin receiving pan mounted onsaid bracket for movement in a substantially horizontal plane a firstchute member pivotally attached to said bracket beneath said pan forvertical swinging movement relative to said pan and for movement in asubstantially horizontally plane conjointly with said pan, said firstchute member being provided on its end adjacent said pan with outwardlyand upwardly aring pin receiving and guide portions extending upwardlyin proximity with the sides of said pan, and with a bottom portionextending beneath said receiving pan, whereby Ibowling pins deliveredonto said pan are guided thereby and by said Haring portions downwardlyfor delivery therefrom butt end foremost, a second chute memberoperatively connected with said irst chute for conjoint movementtherewith, means for mounting said second chute for longitudinalmovement relative to said first chute, an endless belt located in saidfirst and second chutes, and

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 269,561Cortelyow Dec. 26, 1882 289,204 Allison Nov. 27, 1883 699,668 Drake May13, 1902 921,696 Hart May 18, 1909 1,212,890 Billings Jan. 16, 19171,321,531 Manierre Nov. 11, 1919 2,612,250 Sarosdy Sept. 30, 1952

